Briefs | Wow, what a party!

Wow, what a party!

The WOW! Children’s Museum in Lafayette is hosting its sixth annual Auction & Casino Night Gala on Saturday, April 9.

It is the museum’s largest fundraising effort of the year, and all proceeds go to benefit a scholarship fund that provides free museum admissions and low-cost memberships to more than 11,000 children and families in need in the community.

The event, titled “Lights, Camera, Action!,” will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. at the A Spice of Life Event Center at 5706 Arapahoe Ave.

Scheduled activities include a buffet dinner, complimentary cocktails until 9 p.m., jazz music by the Dave Fulker Quartet, live and silent auctions, casino-style gaming tables, helicopter rides with Copter for a Cause (for a $75 per person donation) and Hollywood-themed fun.

Ken Clark from FOX 31’s Good Day Colorado will emcee the event.

Tickets are $75 per person or $600 for a VIP table for eight. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.wowchildrensmuseum.org or by calling 303-604-2424.

YOAB applications due April 8

Applications for the City of Boulder 2011-12 Youth Opportunities Advisory Board (YOAB) are due April 8.

YOAB members make funding decisions on grant proposals for youth programs, advise city government and local agencies on youth-related issues and plan events for youth.

High school-age city of Boulder residents are eligible to apply, and no previous leadership experience is required.

YOAB is part of the Youth Opportunities Program in the Department of Housing and Human Services. For more information, go to www.yoab.org, or contact Alice Swett at 303-441-4349.

Pearl Street rocks off limits

The Family Gathering Place, featuring the large climbing rocks for kids in the 1200 block of the Pearl Street Mall, is being renovated over the next four to six weeks.

After 34 years of service, the area is being improved to remove deteriorating wood and improve safety and accessibility. Renovation will include adding an access ramp for the disabled, replacing surface material and replacing timbers with new, untreated Ipe hardwood timbers. The existing bridge that was replaced recently will remain.

The renovation has a budget of $150,000 (from the Parks and Recreation Department’s Capital Improvement Project fund).

Access to the area will be restricted throughout construction using perimeter safety fencing.

Additional safety measures will be employed as needed when construction equipment is operating in the area.

Caribou closure

The Boulder County Parks and Open Space Department is implementing its annual closure of Caribou Ranch Open Space this week. The area is closed April 1 through June 30.

The closure is in place to protect spring migratory birds and elk activities on the open space property.

Migrating from lower elevations, the local elk herd arrives annually this time of the year.

Females calve on the property and remain until June or July, when they move to higher elevations.

The resident caretaker, park rangers and Boulder County sheriff ’s deputies who patrol the open space property can fine violators up to $300 for trespassing during the closure.